The Art Effect's annual Reel Exposure International Teen Film and Photography Festival in Poughkeepsie, NY is open for submissions and celebrating its 10th year! This year’s festival features photography and youth-produced short films – narrative, animation, experimental and documentary – created by talented young artists from across the world.

New for 2023, Reel Exposure will be brought to you by The Art Effect’s PKX Festival, an exciting building block to the development of the Youth Arts Empowerment Zone, funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts Our Town Grant, establishing a youth-led arts district in and around the Gallery. In addition to youth-produced short films, and a photography exhibition, Reel Exposure: A PKX Festival will also feature youth-led public art installations and more TBD.

Reel Exposure: A PKX Festival brings together a diverse representation of youth-produced films and photography, from both newcomers to the craft, as well as established young artists. The selected films are screened in a showcase and the selected photography is hung as an exhibition at the Trolley Barn Gallery in Poughkeepsie, NY — The ONLY youth-led gallery in the nation!

Reel Exposure: A PKX Festival encompasses all of The Art Effect's goals: to encourage youth creativity, to invigorate our local community through the arts, and to showcase the incredible work done by this next generation of media-makers.

The past two years of the festival went virtual and were a smashing success with more than 2,200 viewers from across the globe tuning in, along with a live Q&A panel with festival finalists. This year's festival will take place in person on May 5-7, 2023, but will still allow international attendees to join us for the festival online with a virtual gallery and an online screening of the film showcase.

Awards & Prizes

" A very big thank you for supporting young filmmakers. I’m truly honoured with this special prize and it is already spent making my next short film!!"~ Ava Bounds, director of Players, 2021 Film Grand Prize Winner

$500 Film Grand Prize, trophies for 1st Place Grand Prize, Second Place, and Third Place.
$250 Photo Grand Prize, trophies for 1st Place Grand Prize, Second Place, and Third Place.
$100 Audience Choice Awards for Film and Photo, announced in the week after the festival showcase and awards ceremony

Rules & Terms

Photo Terms:
-3 to 5 photos may be submitted by an applicant-submit it correct amount category,
-If you submit more than the set number of photos on your chosen category you will be disqualified.
-All work must be completely the work of the applicant — no borrowed work, even in part, will be accepted.
-Applicant must be a youth (ages 13-19)

Film Terms:
-Must be produced youth-produced (ages 13-19 at the time of production).
-Any Genre of short film Under 10 Minutes in Length.
-Must be appropriate for a teen (PG-13) audience.
-Must be produced within the previous 18 months to the submission deadline.

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  • Will Nordstrom

    Thank you for selecting In The Trees for 2nd Place!
    I appreciate it and I am really glad that you liked my film.

    September 2018
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